University of Southern Mississippi
Instructor: Allison Campbell
allison.campbell@eagles.usm.edu
Office: Libral Arts Building, 338
English 222, LIB Rm 205
Mon./Wed./Fri. 1:00-1:50
Office hours: Mondays 11-1:00
or by appointment
Introduction to Poetry Writing
English 222 - Spring 2016
Week 1
FOCUS: What are we doing?
READING: APH, “Workshops and Solitude,”
Poem: The Joy of Writing, Wislawa Szymborska
WRITING: Groups A & B bring poems
Week 2
FOCUS: World into Word, Layered perception inside a poem
READING: AOD, “World into Word,”
VIDEO: Brian, Age 7, link to poem "Brian, Age 7"
WRITING: Workshop Groups A & B, Groups C & D Respond & bring poems
Week 3
FOCUS: Borrowed, stolen, or inspired: What other poems/poets offer
READING: APH, “Reading Poems,” “Imitation,”
WRITING: Workshop Groups C & D, Groups A & B Respond & bring poems
Week 4
***No class on Monday****
FOCUS: Self-forgetfulness: Letting a reader into the slipstream of your sensation
READING: AOD, “A Tremendous Fish,” and Gregory Orr's Four Temperaments and the Forms of Poetry
WRITING: Workshop (catch up on poems not workshoped) & Craft Discussion
Week 5
FOCUS: Sound
READING: APH, “Sound,” “More Devices of Sound,”
WRITING: Workshop Groups A & B, Groups C & D Respond & bring poems
Groups C & D, Groups A & B Respond & bring poemsIn class writing/poetry workshop
Week 6
FOCUS: “Hearts in pilgrimage” / “against the apparent erasures of our mortal condition” –Hopkins/Doty
READING: AOD, “Remembered Stars,”
WRITING: Workshop Groups C & D, Groups A & B Respond & bring poemsIn class writing/poetry workshop
Week 7
FOCUS: The Line and Length, Breadth, and Rhyme
READING: APH, “The Line,” “Some Given Forms,”
WRITING: Workshop Groups A & B, Groups C & D Respond & bring poems
Week 8
FOCUS: Yoking unlike things: “a Greek gentleman in a straw hat, standing absolutely motionless at a slight angle to the universe.” – E.M. Forster
READING: AOD, “Instruction and Resistance,”
WRITING: Workshop Groups C & D, Groups A & B Respond & bring poemsIn class writing/poetry workshopGroups A & B, Groups C & D Respond & bring poemsIn class writing/poetry workshop
Week 9
SPRING BREAK
Week 10 - March 21
FOCUS: Freedom isn’t free
READING: APH, “Verse that is Free,” and The Best American Poetry 2015
WRITING: Workshop Groups C & D, Groups A & B Respond & bring poemsIn class writing/poetry workshopIn class writing/poetry workshop
Week 11 - March 28
FOCUS: Breaking from conventional associations to create the world
READING: AOD, “Four Sunflowers,” APH, “Diction, Tone, Voice,”
WRITING: Workshop Groups A & B, Groups C & D Respond & bring poemsIn class writing/poetry workshopIn class writing/poetry workshop
Week 12 - April 4
FOCUS: “nothing, if it is done well and works to the desired effect, is wrong” – Mary Oliver, From ART to MOON
READING: AOD, “Description’s Alphabet,” pg. 65-104
WRITING: Workshop Groups C & D, Groups A & B Respond & bring poemsIn class writing/poetry workshopIn class writing/poetry workshop
Week 13 - April 11
FOCUS: “Love like a burning city in the breast.” –Edna St. Vincent Millay
READING: APH, “Imagery,” pg.92-108, AOD "Descriptions Alphabet," pg. 105-122
WRITING: Workshop Groups A & B, Groups C & D Respond & bring poemsIn class writing/poetry workshop
Week 14 - April 18
FOCUS: "Then a big, rambling, airy sentence opens out," Mark Doty
READING: AOD, “Description’s Alphabet,” - to end, poems from The Best American Poetry 2015
WRITING: Workshop Groups C & D, Groups A & B Respond & bring poemsIn class writing/poetry workshopIn class writing/poetry workshop
Week 15 - April 25
FOCUS: “Not my poem, if it’s well done, but a deeply breathing, bounding, self-sufficient poem.” – Mary Oliver
READING: APH, “Revision,” “Conclusion,”
WRITING: Workshop Groups A & B, Groups C & D Respond & bring poemsIn class writing/poetry workshopIn class writing/poetry workshop
Week 16 - May 2
FOCUS: Recent poems
READING: Favorite poems
WRITING: Workshop Groups C & D, Groups A & B Respond & bring poemsIn class writing/poetry workshopIn class writing/poetry workshop
Workshop / Response Order: Schedule for Weeks 10-16
Beginning with Week Two, each week you will either have a poem workshopped or serve as the primary responder to a workshopped poem. We will begin with members of Groups A & B being workshopped in Week 2, and members of Groups C & D serving as a primary responder to one of the poems from Group A & B. In Week 3 this will switch. We will continue to rotate workshop and responses between the four groups for the entire semester. Each person should have seven poems workshopped and respond to seven of their peers' poems. For a detailed start to our workshop rotation, click here.
Friday (Group A)
Charles
Autumn
Taylor
Holly
Ben
Wednesday (Group B)
Callie
Mia
Candice
Barron
Friday (Group C)
Thomas
Leigh
Nick
Jilliane
Johna
Wednesday (Group D)
Hiba
Amanda
Cheyenne
Mary Ryan